


Been a Long Time Comin' But

by JustLikeInMyDream



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: 4th Year, Enemies to Friends and Maybe More, F/M, Project Partners, Triwizard Tournament, Yule Ball, catching feelings
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-22
Updated: 2020-08-23
Packaged: 2021-03-06 23:55:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,151
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26037502
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JustLikeInMyDream/pseuds/JustLikeInMyDream
Summary: When Draco and Hermione are made partners on an important Transfiguration project, they don't take the news well, and neither do their best friends. With the TriWizard Tournament in full swing and the Yule Ball only a month away, things become more and more complicated. Working together — well arguing together — brings out different sides in the both of them. DHr; set in GoF.
Relationships: Hermione Granger/Draco Malfoy
Comments: 6
Kudos: 21





	1. One

The First Task of the TriWizard Tournament is days away and the whole castle is abuzz with excitement. Everyone is talking animatedly before the beginning of class, before McGonagall would arrive and put a pin in their anticipation.

It is an interesting time at Hogwarts this year, with the TriWizard Tournament and the two other magical schools residing in the castle and the problems between Harry and Ron. With the rift in their friendship, Harry follows Hermione around now more than ever. She can’t seem to get a moment alone, and she just wishes they could make up and give her a minute of peace.

Another person who isn’t giving her peace is Viktor Krum. She’ll be in the library, look up, and notice him skulking in a corner, watching her. It’s a big distraction, and it’s a little creepy. She hasn’t told Harry about it because he has enough on his plate. Even though he knows about the dragons and has almost mastered the Summoning Spell, she can tell that he’s stressing over _all_ the things that could go wrong.

Ron’s been using her as an owl. He gets all his information through her. Since “The Split,” Neville is the one who’s been speaking to Harry, while Dean and Seamus are trying to decide between Harry and Ron.

Hermione finds the whole thing rather pathetic. Although she isn’t the best of friends with Lavendar and Parvati, they’ll talk before bed and support one another. They don’t ask for Hermione to _do_ their homework, like Harry and Ron do, but they ask for the occasional help. They’re teaching her how to manage her bushy hair, mostly with braids and buns, and how to apply enough makeup to not look overdone.

She supposes this is all traditional puberty stuff, even though she turned 15 in September. She never focused on it, but it’s nice to be taught by girls who know what they’re doing.

In their Transfiguration class last Friday, they had finished a unit on the Vanishing Spell, and Hermione is eager to learn what they are going to learn now. While everyone continues chatting, she notes who is in the room.

Since the 4th Year group is rather small — you can blame the First Wizarding War on limiting the number of children born — there are only about 40 of them. Only half of that amount Hermione really interacts with. For example, the only Hufflepuffs she really knows are Justin Finch-Fletchley, Terry Boot, Hannah Abbott, and Susan Bones. They always sit towards the middle of the room, and they sit together. The Ravenclaws typically cluster together as well, mostly towards the front. It’s the Slytherins and Gryffindors who spread out and mingle with the other houses. The Slytherins most prominent are Malfoy, Goyle and Crabbe (they only have one brain cell between the two of them so they are referred to as one being), Parkinson, Nott, and Greengrass. They usually stick together, and they pick their seats based on where Harry sits that day. It was like Draco always wants to be an integral part of Harry’s day, mostly to just bother him.

While being best friends with Harry Potter, Hermione typically spends every year trying to avoid being killed, and despite that, she’s still the best in the year. And if she isn’t mistaken, Draco Malfoy is right behind her, and she thinks it bothers him. The fact that a Muggleborn is better at things than he, a Pureblood, is.

Hermione’s thinking is disrupted by the boy she was just thinking about. He is clearly trying to get Harry’s attention, but since she’s sitting between the two, she gets caught in the crosshairs. Her face reddens only slightly, feeling awkward for thinking about him, and looks away. She doesn’t know why she feels that way. “Pst, hey Potter!”

“What Malfoy?” Harry leans over and says, “What do you _want_?”

“I’d _like_ it if, on Thursday, you could please lose so I could win a bet.”

“Very original Malfoy, did Crabbe tell you that one?” Harry bites back. Hermione rolls her eyes. Draco notices.

“Even Granger thinks that was a bad comeback.”

“That’s not what I think,” she finds herself saying.

Before either of them can ask what she _really_ means, McGonagall comes out of her office with a stack of parchment. The class quiets down and she begins speaking.

“Now that our unit on the Vanishing Spell is over, it is time for something new. We will take the next week learning the basics of a certain spell and then, for this next month before the Christmas holiday, you will be working with a partner on a rather large project. It is due the last class before break.”

Once McGonagall mentions partners, the room is overcome by whispering. There’s plenty of glances in Harry’s direction, and Hermione can’t help but roll her eyes. _Partners_ means two people work together to complete a project, but Hermione easily bets that whoever she’s partnered with will expect her to do all the work.

“Don’t get too excited, everyone, I have chosen your partners.” McGonagall smirked at the rolling of the eyes and the huffs. “The topic of your project is Cross-Species Switches. You will do a report on the history of the spell, and the report will contain information regarding both species for the switch. You will attempt the spell three times, each time recording the result and write how to improve.”

It actually sounds like an interesting project, to Hermione, while the rest of the class groans and gripes about the amount of work. They have a month to prepare the report, so if the work is spread evenly between the partners, it really would’t be too difficult.

“Okay,” McGonagall regains her attention as she moves up and down the aisles, “here are the partners: Abbott and Longbottom, Weasley and Bones, Brown and Thomas, Goyle and Parkinson, Nott and Greengrass, Finnegan and Boot, Finch-Fletchley and Reynolds, Potter and Patil, Malfoy and Granger —”

“I’m sorry —” Hermione interrupts, raising her hand.

“No wait —” Draco says from his seat.

“Professor, I —” She pleads.

“There’s _no_ way I’m —” He scoffs.

“Professor!” They shout together, stopping McGonagall in her tracks.

“No, Miss Granger and Mr. Malfoy, there is no changing of partners. You are working together, that is final.”

“But …” Hermione whispers and looks at Draco disdainfully.

Harry mumbles, “I’m sorry Hermione.”

Draco looks back at her with disgust. “Do we really have to work together?”

“If we want to get a passing grade, yes, I suppose so,” she responds stiffly.

“This is bloody ridiculous.”

She agrees, but then thinks of something. “Well, just because we are partners doesn’t mean we have to _really_ work together.”

“What do you mean?”

“We can divide up the work, evenly, and then put it together when we’re done.”

“But who will do the attempts and record the results? I’d certainly be better at it than you.”

“I highly doubt that.”

“You can all work things out with your partners later —” McGonagall interrupts — “for now, we will begin the lecture.”


	2. Two

After class, Harry and Hermione walk to the Great Hall for lunch. Hermione has a weird feeling in her stomach, likely caused by the events in Transfiguration, and wants to skip lunch for today. She could escape go the library for a few minutes without Harry, since that boy never misses a meal. She catches a glimpse of pale blond hair and she glances that way — he’s watching her. It’s not as unnerving as when Krum does it — in fact, a clumsy smile graces her lips.

“Harry, I’m not very hungry. I think I’m going to skip.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah, it’s fine. I’ll probably just eat dinner early.”

He doesn’t put up a fight and walks into the hall alone, likely to sit with Neville and listen to him discuss his latest favorite plant.

Hermione looks back in the direction of Draco, and she notes he’s also alone. He approaches her, nose crinkled. It’s a new look for him.

“How’d you get rid of Potter?” He asks.

“He never skips a meal. How’d you get rid of Crabbe and Goyle?”

“They never skip a meal.”

Despite herself, she lets out a giggle. He smirks. She stifles the rest of the laugh, finding it odd it even escaped in the first place.

“How do you want to do this?”

A group of Slytherins pass by them, heading for lunch.

“Well, I’m sure your know-it-all-self has some idea of how a project works.”

“Sure, but your ego could get in the way.”

“Oh please, Granger, you exaggerate.”

“It could eclipse the sun.”

“Now don’t be so rude.”

“Like it offends you.”

“Perhaps not, but I find your aggression refreshing,” he remarks, tilting his head to — _admire?_ — acknowledge her good comebacks.

“Why’s that?”

“Usually Weasley or Potter interfere, fight your battles for you, and I know you’re no damsel.”

She’s strangely flattered by his comment.

“I’ll meet you in the library then, while everyone else is in tomorrow’s Divination class.”

“You’re going to skip class?” She’s almost shocked, and the disapproval seeps through her voice.

“ _No_ Granger, I don’t take Divination anymore. It’s a dreadful and dimwitted class.”

“That’s why I stopped taking it, too … I suppose it’s odd we think the same thing.”

“No I suppose not.” His answer surprises her, and he can see it on her face. Her eyebrows raise a minuscule amount and her lips part for a soft exhale, the ferocity in her words leaving with the breath.

“Bye then,” he adds after a moment, but he makes no move to leave.

“Goodbye” comes her delayed response and her legs slowly move away from him, no doubt on their way to the library. She looks over her shoulder once more to see him smirk and turn in the direction of the Slytherin dorms.

That smirk will be the death of her.

*.*.*.*.*

On the day of the First Task, Harry and Hermione sit together in the Great Hall for breakfast. Harry has food on his plate, but he isn’t touching it. He has his heads in his hands, and he’s staring at his feet, likely contemplating the repercussions of resigning from the competition.

“Harry, it’s going to be alright. We’ve been preparing for weeks.”

“What if the dragon gets me before I have the chance to get my broom?”

To be fair, Hermione doesn’t have an answer for that. She bites her lip and fiddles with her fork. He sighs and pushes himself up from the table to walk away.

“Harry …” She tries to get him to stay, but he leaves the Great Hall quickly. She exhales slowly and goes back to her toast.

“What’s with him?” Fred, or possibly George, asks.

“What do you think?” Hermione rolls her eyes. “I’m sure it has nothing to do with the fact that he’s about to fight a dragon.”

“Easy Hermione, I’m only jokin’,” Fred assures her.

“Hermione, why is Malfoy lookin’ at you?” Neville asks, nodding over to the Slytherin Table.

She stares at Neville and then slowly looks over her shoulder to see that he is correct — Draco is staring, again. He is doing that a lot recently. When he realizes that Hermione and quite a few other Gryffindors are staring back, he looks away hurriedly.

“What’s he doin’ that for?” George, or maybe Fred, asks.

“He and Hermione got partnered for a project in Transfiguration on Monday,” Seamus, who has a big ‘HP’ written on both his cheeks, supplie

“Ouch,” the twins say together.

“It’s really okay,” Hermione grumbles. “We’re both smart people, we can figure out how to work together.”

“Are you sure about that ‘Mione?” Little Ginny asks.

“We’re the smartest two in the class, of course I’m sure.”

“I meant about you two being able to get along.

“Oh … well, we’ll have to.”

“Well if he says something really horrible, Fred and I’ll show him,” George nods.

“That’s unnecessary, but thank you, I think.”

In all honesty, they had met in the library two days prior, and nothing had gone wrong. They said their hello’s and got to work finding books on the topic and taking notes. It was a successful two hours, where no arguments took place and no mean-spirited comments were flung around.

It’s probably worth mentioning that they sat at different tables.

But she’s right about them being the smartest of the 4th Years, possibly the whole school. She thinks that’s why Draco is always irritated by her existence. The fact that a Muggleborn is smarter than him, even if it’s only by a few marks, would likely infuriate his father too.

He’s a bit of a spoiled brat, and he should probably readjust his attitude towards Muggleborns, and he could change the way he treats people, but other than those three major flaws, he could be a good bloke.

She supposes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm enjoying this, and I hope you are too :)

**Author's Note:**

> I know I have absolutely no business starting another story when I have two - three? - stories in progress, but this idea came to me during a long hot weekend that included a Harry Potter marathon. Please comment and give kudos, it makes my day!


End file.
